WINDHOEK – While commercial farmers’ associations have adopted the new Meatco approach of inviting Meatco to their communities for discussions, this is still a new concept amongst many communal producers.
Therefore Meatco has extended liaison to communal areas to specifically reach out to communal farmers at settlement level. In the past, Meatco reached out to farmers across the country though Farmer Liaison Committee Meetings (FLMs), which were held in towns such as Otjiwarongo, Grootfontein, Windhoek, Gobabis, and others. Communal farmers have been complaining that due to transport problems, and other limitations, they have often been unable to attend meetings in these towns.
But with the re-alignment of business last year, Meatco decided to do away with the formal, fixed structure of annual Farmer Liaison Committee Meetings, bringing about new approaches but with the same goal in mind: to engage and have discussions between Meatco and producers on a personal level. “For the communal producers, we have suggested we meet with them separately to talk about issues that concern them specifically. As such, we will be going to communal settlements and addressing them,” says Vehaka Tjimune, Meatco’s Executive for Policy Innovation, Stakeholder Relations and Corporate Affairs.
Meatco will host 16 dedicated meetings per year covering the communal areas. Vehaka says this is to ensure that Meatco caters to the needs of all farmers as far as information and promoting understanding of its business is concerned.
As part of the new process, Vehaka says, in addition to the 16 meetings with communal farmers, Meatco will continue to reach out to commercial farmers through their associations’ meetings, as well as regional union meetings. “In terms of the future growth strategy, we are going to embrace communal areas just as much as the commercial areas, since our future growth potential lies in both these sectors. However, if more cattle are coming to Meatco, they will more likely come from the communal areas,” he says.
He points out that while this is the direction the company is moving towards, this year is only a trial phase, and depending on what it encounters along the way, some elements of these meetings may still change. “Hopefully next year we will know better in terms of how we want to model and proceed in future.”
In addition, Meatco also intends having liaison meetings aimed at the emerging farmers who are not necessarily part of associational structures. “For emerging farmers, we will call meetings in selected towns, like those we have lined up for Outjo and Windhoek,” he says. This new approach will give communal producers access to important information about their participation in our various initiatives, like the Meatco Owned Cattle (MOC) initiative, provided they meet the basic requirements.
Some communal farmers have already expressed joy at the new approach, saying it will give them access to information pertaining to opportunities that exist for them to do business. The new approach will also allow communal producers access to information regarding the signing of delivery contracts, and how they can qualify for contract premiums.Dates and venues of meetings will be communicated via radio and other mediums. Producers are encouraged to watch this space.